I'd much rather use goatskin gloves like these ones (also Wells Lamont) than cowhide for trail work.
The closed grain of goatskin and lanolin makes them naturally water resistant (not waterproof by any stretch though) and they're tougher and more flexible for a given hide thickness. Better than deer/buckskin in my books too.
Plus they are WAY more Himalayan blackberry (and thistle and...) thorn resistant if you encounter that sort of thing while building.
Nov. 19, 2020, 10:09 p.m. - WeTYC...
I'd much rather use goatskin gloves like these ones (also Wells Lamont) than cowhide for trail work.  The closed grain of goatskin and lanolin makes them naturally water resistant (not waterproof by any stretch though) and they're tougher and more flexible for a given hide thickness. Better than deer/buckskin in my books too. Plus they are WAY more Himalayan blackberry (and thistle and...) thorn resistant if you encounter that sort of thing while building.